Nationally Ranked

Public Interest at Emory Law

Emory Law prepares students for legal careers in public service. Our innovative curriculum includes traditional courses in public interest law as well as a range of topics from international human rights to homelessness. We offer experiences beyond the classroom through clinical programs, our extensive externship program, practice societies, and networking with faculty and alumni who work in the field.

Public Service at Emory

Service and volunteering are core principals for Emory University, with opportunities available throughout the year.

EPIC

The student-led Emory Public Interest Committee (EPIC) promotes public interest law, facilitates the employment of Emory students in public interest legal positions, and works to make legal services more accessible to those who do not have adequate representation. Learn more »

Beyond foundational coursework, students may select from an extensive array of courses and in-depth seminars and benefit from the scholarship of renowned academics and practitioners.

Courses

Students can explore the wide range of public interest issues through courses including the following:

Administrative Law

Constitutional Litigation

Child Advocacy

Criminal Justice

Education Law

Environmental Law

Feminist Legal Theory

Gender and Law

International Human Rights

Juvenile Law

Victimless Crimes

In-Depth Seminars

Emory Law hosts visiting scholars from around the world and sponsors workshops and colloquia on public interest issues such as the following:

Education Policy

Disability and Discrimination

Constitutional and International Law

Reproductive Issues

Politics and Democratic Governance

Housing and Homelessness

Academic Programs and Projects

Emory Law’s academic programs and projects focus attention on specific areas of the law. Students benefit from an interdisciplinary approach that brings together respected professors, leading scholars from around the world, and “learn by doing” experiential programs.

Your Career in Public Interest

Career Center Services & Job Fairs

Through the Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy, we offer one-on-one advising with a recognized expert in public service careers. Emory Law is part of the Georgia Law School Consortium, which presents the Public Sector Career Fair each spring. We also participate in the Equal Justice Works Career Fair and Conference, a national conference held annually in the fall.

Public Service Internships

Through the Emory Public Interest Committee (EPIC) and generous donors, we can offer summer funding for qualified students who wish to work in public service. In addition to numerous Atlanta organizations, students have worked recently with the following national offices:

California Rural Legal Assistance, San Francisco

Cook County Public Defender, Chicago

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Washington, DC

Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing, Chicago

Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Boston

Miami Office of the Public Defender, Miami

National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, Washington, DC

New York Civil Liberties Union, New York

Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Oklahoma

Orleans Public Defenders, New Orleans

Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, New York

US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, Washington, DC

US Department of State, Office of International Religious Freedom, Washington, DC

Vera Institute of Justice, New York

In addition, the Barton Center for Child Law and Policy Center offers the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program which provides paid summer positions

Emory Law’s extensive externship program places up to 160 students with more than 90 organizations during the fall and spring semesters of their second and third years; a large number of these externships are offered with public interest and government employers. Our students assist public defenders, prosecutors, public interest organizations, and government agencies while earning academic credit. Placements include the following:

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Atlanta Legal Aid Society

Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Georgia Innocence Project

Georgia Legal Services

Georgia Lawyers for the Arts

Health Law Partnership

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Southern Environmental Law Center

“Serving the public interest can and should be incorporated into one’s career, regardless of the specific path chosen.”

Pro Bono Service

Emory Law encourages students to fulfill the legal profession's obligation to undertake pro bono work on behalf of indigent and underrepresented groups. We offer group training sessions and attorney mentorship.

The Center for Community Progress, with offices in Atlanta, Flint, MI, New Orleans, LA and Washington D.C., is dedicated to ensuring that communities have the vision, knowledge, and systems to transform problem properties into assets supporting neighborhood vitality. Community Progress was co-founded by Sam Nunn Professor of Law Frank Alexander, who serves as the Senior Legal and Policy Advisor. Sara Toering, 06L, is General Counsel to Community Progress and Gregory Richardson 16L serves as the 2014 Community Progress Legal Fellow. Learn more »